Inboard propulsion and steering means



Aug. 16, 1966 R. J. STERLING ETAL INBOARD PROPULSION AND STEERING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 22. 1964 INVENTORS 8 9h 0 uh nu m MS t V l e 0 my .0 C .m R

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BY 25% Z//w% ATTORNEYS FIG.8.

Aug. 16, 1966 RQJ. STERLING ETAL 3,266,454

INBOARD PROPULSION AND STEERING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1964 JFIG.2.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,266,454 INBOARI) PROPULSION AND STEERING MEANS Richard 1. Sterling, RED. 1, Box 112, N. Dixie Haghvvay, Eau Gallic, Fla, and Clyde V. Smith, 1720 Davis Drive, Merritt Island, Fla. I

Filed Oct. 22, 1964, Ser. No. 405,716 7 Qlaims. (Cl. 115-35) The present invention relates to marine propulsion and steering and more particularly to inboard propulsion and steering of boats without the. usual rudder means in the small craft category.

Heretofore small water craft propulsion and steering without rudder means has been by manually directed outboard motors, which are mounted on the transom of the boat. Also, heretofore with small craft inboard propulsion, a rudder is required to steer the 'boat and such rudder is usually mounted at the transom end of the boat with an independent engine driven propeller keyed to an end of an elongated drive shaft extended from the remotely located inboard engine of the boat. Such drive shaft is usually of considerable length and often extends angularly for at least one-half the length of the boat to a point adjacent the boat transom at the boats aft end. A propeller shaft of such ext-ended length is objectionable, because it often becomes entwined with grasslike seaweed and any ropelike windable foreign objects that the boat may pass over. Also, long drive shafts are diificult to keep stable in their bearing mounts and under torsion and strain become loose in the bearing mounts so as to require frequent repair and replacement of the bearings and the shaft.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a relatively short drive shaft to a propeller shaft forward of the boat transom for use with any form of inboard engine.

Another object is to provide. a simplified arrangement of inboard boat propulsion in combination with efiective power steering without external rudder means.

A further object is to provide in combination with any form of inboard power means a manually turnable unit comprising a mounting through the bottom of the boat having a driven shaft for imparting drive to a variable pitch propeller including a manual steering means and a manual pitch control means to regulate varying load conditions and to control direction of travel when the boat is under power and in motion.

Still another object is to provide a novel power takeoff and steering arrangement for inboard boats adapted to fit through the bottom of the boat forward of the boat transom including a variable pitch propeller manually adjustable from a full forward pitch through a neutral pitch to a desired or a full reverse pitch without reversing the boats engine.

Yet another object is to provide a novel propeller cover in the form of a venturi, whereby said venturi affords protection of the propeller from under water objects and likewise provides for optimum thrust efficiency.

With the above and other objects in view, the present novel unit consists in the novel construction, arrangementand combination of parts described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein one embodiment of the invention is dis closed.

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In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the figures:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional side view of the completely assembled unit showing a portion of the engine drive shaft connected thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a front view in elevation of the unit showing its mounting in the bottom of a boat and lower foot portion with the propeller and its venturi housing;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along section line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 of the bottom of the unit at the foot portion thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken along the section line 44 of FIGURE 1 at the end of the rack and gear means for propeller pitch control;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken along the section line 55 of FIGURE 1 showing the top view of the rack and gear for propeller pitch cont-r01;

FIGURE 6 is a view taken on the section line 66 of FIGURE 1 of the bottom of the boat and the mounting means for the unit as it appears at the boat bottom;

FIGURE 7 is a view taken on the section line 7-7 of FIGURE 1 of the lower front fore part of the foot portion of the unit at the entry end of the venturi member enclosing the propeller;

FIGURE 8 is a view taken on the section line 88 of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the foot portion of the unit;

FIGURE 9 is a top view in elevation of the head portion of the unit; and

FIGURE 10 is a view taken on the section line 10-10 of FIGURE 1 disclosing a top view of the respective novel steering and propeller pitch control levers vertically adjacent the head portion of the unit.

Referring in detail to the drawings and first with particular reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is shown a cut-away portion of a boat bottom 12 formed with an opening 13. The opening 13 is preferably circular.

and secured therein is an upwardly extending tube 14 hereinafter referred to as the hull sleeve. This tube or hull sleeve is concentrically mounted within the bore of a similarlyupwardly extending tube or outer support sleeve 15. Each of these respective tubes 14 and 15 have annular flanges 18 and 19, respectively. The flange 18 of hull sleeve 14 seats against the underside of the boat bottom 12 and the flange 19 seats on the upper side of the boat bottom, so their respective top peripheral rims 20 and 21 come to a flush level position in the provision of a bearing surface 22 vertically adjacent the engine power take-off head 24 of the present novel unit for the under surface of the hereinafter referred to lock rings.

The two concentric tubes 14 and 15 each have a respective functional value in the whole assembly of the unit. For example, the tubes are anchored or secured together by suitable means, such as elongated bolts 25 and nuts 26 through the respective flanges 18 and 19 and the sand wiched portion of the. boat bottom 12, so as to provide fixed support means for the take-off head 24 and the steering and driven portions of the unit.

The outer tube 15 is formed with spaced lugs 28, 29 and 30, see FIGURE 2. The lugs 28 and 29 support a bracket member 31 which serves to support the head 24 which includes a gear housing 37. The bracket is formed with an oflset wall 36 and extends into hollow boss pore tion for a vertical bearing 33 and an end plate 35 formed with an opening to receive an engine drive shaft 34. Also, the bearing plate 35 for the engine shaft is suitably secured as by bolt means 38 to the side of the boss portion 36 of the gear housing 37; and opposite from side wall 39 of the housing is formed with an internally extended shaft end bearing mount 40 for the terminal end of the engine shaft 34. A top plate 32 covers the head 24.

The bearing plate 3 5 has a depending leg 41 anchored to the lug 30 by securing means 4 2.

A bevel gear train is drivably connected in the gear housing 37 and comprises a first bevel gear 44 keyed to the engine shaft 34 in mesh with the teeth of a second bevei gear 45 keyed to the reduced end of a driven stub shaft 48 journalled in bearing means 49 in an opening 50 in the bottom wall of the gear housing 37. The bearing means 49 is held in the bottom housing wall by a plate 52 and bolts 53, see FIGURE 1.

The stub shaft 4 8 of the second bevel gear projects below the gear housing 37 and the base support plate 52 therefor and is formed with a connector socket 55 adapted to mate with the free end 56 of a driven shaft 58.

The driven shaft 58 projects upwardly through superimposed vertically spaced locking rings 59 and 60. These rings 59 and 60 are threaded onto the top of the main tubular housing 63 and have a steering lever 61 suitably pinned between them so the same may be turned in the hull sleeve. This lever 61 provides for turning the main housing 63 in the hull sleeve 14 approximately 120 degrees for change of direction of thrust for steering without the use of a separate rudder.

The main tubular housing 63 is suitably formed as, for example, by casting the same in one unitary piece and comprises an upper relatively large section 65 leading into a relatively smaller reduced tubular section 66 terminating into a T-shaped foot sect-ion 67.

The section 65 at the point of juncture with the reduced section 66 is formed with an annular flange 69 which laps the exposed side of the flange 18 on the underside of the boat bottom 12. This flange 69 in cooperation with the plate 59 serves to mount and retain the housing 63 in operative position within the tube 14.

Each section 65 and '66 of main housing 63 at a medial position is traversed with a bracket 68 and 68a, respectively, which brackets each support and center a pair of shaft bearings 70 and 7-1 for effective operating alignment of the driven shaft 58 so its end terminates in the upper part of the T-portion 6'7 of the lower section 66 of main housing 63. On this end of the driven shaft 58 is keyed a third bevel gear 72. The shaft '58 above each respective bearing 70 and 71 has mounted thereon a thrust member, such as the washers or collars 74 and 75.

The third bevel gear 72 meshes with a fourth mating bevel gear 76 keyed or secured to rotate with a propeller shaft 78 suitably journalled at each end in mounting hub 79 and pinned in hub 80 by pin 77. This shaft journals in a bearing 81 mounted in hub 79 and extends through the bore of a hollow pit-ch control shaft 84, which is journalled in a bearing 82 with a seal 83.

The propeller shaft 78 extends beyond the bearing 82 and seal 83 to end hub 80 from the bore of the pitch control shaft 84 and between the teeth of spaced rack bars 85 and 86 formed on the rear end of the shaft 84 embraced or encircled by the propeller housing 89. The {propeller housing is flanged at each end in the provision of a spool-like body and a flange 90 thereof opposite flange 91 is spaced with respect to the enlarged rim 92 of the T-shaped foot on pitch control shaft 84. This portion of the foot is centrally disposed within the entry end of a venturi ring 94, which end has a triangular vertical weed cutting web 95 formed therewith. Also, extending vertically above the foot 167 to the flange 69 is a V-shaped forward prow member 96. These members 95 and 96 assist in reducing water resistance and deflect weeds and gift the like during forward drive and assist in steering of the boat in place of the usual rudder.

The pitch control shaft 84 at the front or fore end is formed with an annular rack 98, see FIGURES 1 and 3, opposite to the spaced rack bars 85 and 86 at the rear or aft end thereof, see FIGURES l and 3.

The front annular rack 98 of the pitch control shaft 84 is engaged by a pinion gear 102 fixed on the end of a vertical pitch control rod 103.

The concentrically mounted pitch control shaft 84 is axially slidable on the lower horizontal propeller shaft 78 The pitch control shaft 84 at the front or fore end is formed with an annular rack 98, see FIGURES 1 and 3, opposite to the spaced rack bars 85 and 86 at the rear or aft end thereof, see FIGURES 1 and 3.

The rod 103 is journalled at the lower end in a bushing plug 104 and through bearings 105 and 106 in the housing 63 and locking rings 59 and '60 to the hand lever 61 pinned between them.

Each respective spur or pinion gear 99 and 100 engageable with the spaced pitch control rack bars 8 5 and 86 is is keyed or fixed to the end of a propeller shaft 110' and 111, respectively, projecting through the propeller housing 89. The shaft 110 secures to a propeller blade 112 and shaft 111, similarly projecting through the housing 89, secures to a second diametrically opposite propeller blade 113. The propeller blades 112 and 113 are adjustable for pitch by the rack bars 85 and 86 and meshing pinion or spur gears 99 and 100. Preferably the ends of the blades 112 and 113 within the confines of the venturi ring 94 are levelled off at each end to fit peripherally snug therein. A plate 114 is secured by fastener means 115 to the front end of the propeller housing 89 and a plate 116 is secured by means 117 to the rear end of the foot 67 of the main housing 63 between seals 83 and 120 on the pitch control shaft 84 and the propellor housing and the front portion of the rack bars at the rear of the pitch control shaft.

OPERATION With the foregoing references and discussions of the parts, it is now believed that the operation and useful coactive relation of the parts of the assembled unit are generally clear. Specifically when in operation, the inboard boat engine is started and suitably coupled into drive relation with the engine drive shaft 34, this imparts rotation to drive the first and second gears 44 and 45 and third and fourth bevel gears 72 and 76, respectively, of the foot section 67 to vertical driven shaft 58 and to horizontal driven propeller shaft 78 on which is secured the fourth bevel gear 76. This coupling of the drive unit may operate independent of a clutch or transmission as normally required in conventional inboard operation.

The main tubular housing 63 is turnable on the inside of the hull sleeve 14 and the outer support sleeve 15 by the steering lever 61. This arrangement permits approximately 120 degrees change of direction of thrust for steering without the use of a separate rudder. Also, the support sleeve and the hull sleeve are mounted from the bottom of the boat and as arranged extend well above the water line of the boat eliminating the necessity for a packing gland or boot.

The turning of the main housing 63 about the axis of the vertical drive shafts extending through the housing does not interfere with the power transmission from the engine to the propeller mechanism in the foot portion 67. Also, forward thrust and reversing action of the propeller blades 112 and 113 may be regulated by the remote pitch control lever and control rod 103 with the pinion gear thereon in driving connection with the circular rack 98 formed on the forward end of the pitch control shaft 84. For example, as pinion gear 102 on rod 103 is rotated, the pitch control shaft 84 slides freely on the horizontal driven shaft 78, and the racks 86 and 87 carried by the rear or aft end of the pitch control shaft 84 are engaged with the pinion gears 72 and 76 so as to rotate the propeller blade shafts 110 and 111 to vary the pitch of the blades 112 and 113 from a full forward thrust position through a neutral to a full reverse position.

Thus there is provided a novel drive and steering unit for use with any form of inboard power, which unit fits and is journalled economically and efiiciently in the bottom of a boat forward of the transom so that the unit is turned for effective power steering eliminating the need for an external rudder. Also, the unit includes a variable pitch propeller which can be set at any desired pitch producing substantially optimum efiiciency under many varying load conditions, said propeller blades being also adjustable from full forward pitch through neutral to a desired full reverse pitch.

Without further description it is believed that the advantages of the present invention over the prior art is apparent and while only one embodiment of the same is illustrated, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not limited thereto as various changes may be made in the combination and arrangement of the parts illustrated, as will now likely appear to others and those skilled in the art. For a definition of the scope or limits of the invention, reference should be had to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A marine propulsion and steering unit for inboard motor boats, said unit comprising an elongated tubular housing with an open top portion, said housing having a hollow foot portion, said housing being rotatably mounted in the bottom of a boat inboard of the transom of the boat, a power take-off housing mounted over the top portion of the tubular housing, a gear train in said take-off housing, shaft means driven by said gear train, said driven shaft means extending through said tubular housing to said hollow foot portion, a second gear train in said hollow foot portion, one gear of said second train being keyed to the end of said driven shaft means in said foot portion, a second gear of said second gear train being keyed to driven propeller shaft means journalled in said hollow foot portion, a propeller housing mounted intermediate the said hollow foot portion around i said propeller shaft means, propeller blades secured to stub shafts extending laterally from the propeller housing and said foot portion, said stub shafts extending through the propeller housing and the sides of said foot portion, a pinion gear on the end of each respective stub shaft, pitch control means slidably mounted on said driven propeller shaft means in the foot portion cooperating with said pinion gears for regulating the pitch of said blades, a manual pitch control lever in driving connection with said pitch control means to vary the pitch of said blades, and a steering lever secured to said first mentioned tubular housing for angularly turning the said tubular housing and said foot portion to vary the direction of thrust of the said blades.

2. A marine propulsion and steering unit for inboard motor boats as described in claim 1, wherein said foot portion and said laterally extending propeller blades are enclosed within the bore of a venturi ring, said ring having a vertically extending fin at the entrance thereof.

3. A marine propulsion and steering unit for inboard motor boats, said unit comprising an elongated tubular housing with an open top portion, said housing having a hollow foot portion, said housing being rotatably mounted in the bottom of a boat inboard of the transom of the boat, a power take-off housing mounted over the top portion of the tubular housing, a gear train in said take-off housing, shaft means driven by said gear train, said driven shaft means extending through said tubular housing to said hollow foot portion, a second gear train in said hollow foot portion, one gear of said second train being keyed to the end of said driven shaft means in said foot portion, a second gear of said second gear train being keyed to driven propeller shaft means journalled in said hollow foot portion, a propeller housing mounted intermediate the said hollow foot portion around said propeller shaft means, propeller blades secured to stub shafts extending laterally from the propeller housing and said foot portion, said stub shafts extending through the propeller housing and the sides of said foot portion, a pinion gear on the end of each respective stub shaft, pitch control means slidably mounted on said driven propeller shaft means in the foot portion regulating the pitch of said blades, a manual pitch control lever in driving connection with said pitch control means to vary the pitch of said blades, said pitch control means including a circular rack mounted concentrically around said propeller shaft, said rack being axially movable by a pinion gear connected to said manual pitch control lever, rack bars connected with said circular rack for axial movement therewith, said pinion gear of each respective propeller blade stub shaft being in mesh with a respective one of said rack bars, and a steering lever secured to said first mentioned tubular housing for angularly turning the said tubular housing and said foot portion to vary the direction of thrust of the said blades.

4. A combined propulsion and steering unit to be turnably mounted in the bottom of a boat having an inboard engine comprising, in combination, a generally L-shaped tubular housing including a power take-off means, tubular support means secured in the boat bottom for turnably supporting the vertical leg of said housing, support means for said take-off means at the top of said support means, manual turning means secured to said vertical leg of said housing for changing the direction of propulsion of the unit, spaced bearing means journalled in said vertical leg, a propeller shaft in said horizontal leg of said housing, said driven shaft means being in driving connection with said propeller shaft, a propeller on said shaft, and pitch control means for said propeller on said propeller shaft for controlling the forward thrust of the propeller and the reverse thrust of the propeller from a neutral propeller pitch position. v

5. A combined propulsion and steering unit to be turnably mounted in the bottom of a boat having an inboard engine comprising, in combination, a generally L-shaped tubular housing including a power take-off means, tubular support means secured in the boat bottom for turnably supporting the vertical leg of said housing, support means for said take-off means at the top of said support means, manual turning means secured to said vertical leg of said housing for changing the direction of propulsion of the unit, spaced bearing means journalled in said vertical leg, a propeller shaft in said horizontal leg of said housing, said driven shaft means being in driving connection with said propeller shaft, a propeller on said shaft, pitch control means for said propeller on said propeller shaft for controlling the forward thrust of the propeller and the reverse thrust of the propeller from a neutral propeller pitch position, said propeller including a hub with radial blades extending therefrom and a protective ring connected to said horizontal leg enclosing said propeller.

6. In combination with an inboard power means for mounting in the bottom of a boat forward of the boat transom, a manually turnable unit comprising a driven shaft, a propeller shaft with a propeller, a hull sleeve for journalling said unit therein, a support sleeve for holding the said hull sleeve therein, flange means on adjacent ends of the said respective sleeves arranged on the upper and lower sides of said boat bottom, said flange means serving to vertically support the said sleeves in the bottom of the boat With said turnable unit extending through said hull sleeve and boat bottom below the water line, and variable pitch control means for said propeller to regulate varying load conditions during any manual turning of the unit to vary direction of thrust.

7. In combination with an inboard power means for mounting in the bottom of a boat forward of the boat transom, a manually turnable unit comprising a driven shaft, a propeller shaft with a propeller, a hull sleeve for journaling said unit therein, a support sleeve for holding the said hull sleeve therein, flange means on adjacent ends of the said respective sleeves arranged on the upper and lower sides of said boat bottom, said flange means serving tovertically support the said sleeves in the bottom of the boat with said turnable unit extending through said hull sleeve and boat bottom below the water line, variable pitch control means for said propeller to regulate varying load conditions during any manual turning and enshrouding said propeller.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,893,661 1/1933 Smith 115-18 2,446,229 8/1948 House 11535 2,681,632 6/1954 Rossman 115-17 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner. T. MAJOR. Assistant Examiner. 

7. IN COMBINATION WITH AN INBOARD POWER MEANS FOR MOUNTING IN THE BOTTOM OF A BOAT FORWARD OF THE BOAT TRANSOM, A MANUALLY TURNTABLE UNIT COMPRISING A DRIVEN SHAFT, A PROPELLER SHAFT WITH A PROPELLER, A HULL SLEEVE FOR JOURNALING SAID UNIT THEREIN, A SUPPORT SLEEVE FOR HOLDING THE SAID HULL SLEEVE THEREIN, FLANGE MEANS ON ADJACENT ENDS OF THE SAID RESPECTIVE SLEEVES ARRANGED ON THE UPPER AND LOWER SIDES OF SAID BOAT BOTTOM, SAID FLANGES MEANS SERVING TO VERTICALLY SUPPORT THE SAID SLEEVES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE BOAT WITH SAID TURNTABLE UNIT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID HULL SLEEVE AND BOAT BOTTOM BELOW THE WATER LINE, VARIABLE PITCH CONTROL MEANS FOR SAID PROPELLER TO REGULATE VARYING LOAD CONDITIONS DURING ANY MANUAL TURNING OF THE UNIT TO VARY DIRECTION OF THRUST, AND A PROPELLER COVER IN THE FORM OF A VENTURI RING CARRIED BY SAID UNIT AND ENSHROUDING SAID PROPELLER. 